IPOB Directs Igbos In Lagos To
Ensure They’re Not Counted If
They Can’t Return To Southeast
Nigeria For Census


The separatist group said
southeasterners should be
counted in the states they hail
from and not where they reside
outside their geopolitical zone.
The Indigenous People of Biafra
(IPOB) has mandated all the
people of Southeast Nigeria living
in Lagos State and other parts of
the country to return to the East
during the forthcoming census.
The separatist group said
southeasterners should be
counted in the states they hail
from and not where they reside
outside their geopolitical zone.
This comes on the heels of the
rising tension and reported attacks
on Igbo people in Lagos.
IPOB in a statement by its Media
and Publicity Secretary, Emma
Powerful, on Wednesday, stated
that it will use the census to
ascertain the Igbo population and
the size of social amenities needed
in the Southeast region.
The secessionist group said it
called for the mass return of the
people of the Southeast during the
census because it will “help us
quantify the population of
Biafrans in Nigeria”.
“Therefore, we must seize the
opportunity Nigerian government is
offering to our benefit,” it added.
IPOB further said, “They have
always told the world that we are
a dot with an insignificant
population. Now is the time to let
the world know the population of
Biafrans in Nigeria as Biafra
agitation is gathering international
attention and speed.
“Those who disenfranchised
Biafrans during the last fraudulent
elections should never be allowed
to use us to boost their population
again. They have always used
Biafrans’ population for a higher
allocation yet deny Biafrans
opportunity to freely participate in
the national issues from their
territories. It's time we use our
tongue to count our teeth.
“Therefore, IPOB is calling every
Biafran resident in Lagos and other
parts of Nigeria to travel back to
the East and be counted in their
home state. Kindly disregard any
announcement from any quarter,
especially from government
agencies asking people not to go
back to their state of origin during
the census.
“Don't let them deceive you. It's
the same agenda to keep
falsifying and deceiving the world
that we are a small dot in the
contraption.”
The group said should there be
any reason why Igbo people
cannot travel to their places of
origin to be counted, “make sure
you and your family members are
not counted outside Biafra Land”.
“We must prove them wrong once
and for all,” it said.
IPOB promised to engage with
transport owners “to be part of
this project so that those willing to
travel to the East to be counted
can do so”.
It continued, “We are calling on all
well-meaning Igbo businessmen
and women, entrepreneurs,
senators, ministers, commissioners,
House of Assembly Members from
the Eastern states to contribute in
one way or the other to ensure
that our people come back home
during this population census
exercise.”
IPOB called on the Igbo apex socio-
cultural organisation, Ohaneze
Ndigbo Worldwide and Southeast
governors to show that they are
concerned about the “humiliation
our people have been subjected to
in this country.
“Our people's mass return during
this population census to be
counted among us has many
benefits which include validating
our majority population in Nigeria
that has been manipulated, used,
and abused for the attraction of
higher allocation from the Federal
government to other states in the
past, but can now help us plan for
the amenities required in
Biafraland like international
markets and industrial parks.
“All traditional rulers, PGs, and
village heads should ensure that
our population is counted,
captured, and the population data
protected for reference purposes.
If you are not coming home make
sure you are not counted in
Lagos.”